The complete glossary of cryptocurrency and blockchain terms. From airdrops to zero-knowledge proofs, learn the language of crypto.
Free distribution of tokens to wallet addresses, often used for marketing or rewarding early users of a protocol.
Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. Short for 'alternative coin.'
Automated Market Maker — a smart contract that creates liquidity pools for trading without a traditional order book.
Annual Percentage Yield — the real rate of return on an investment, including compounding interest.
A large holding of a particular cryptocurrency. 'Holding bags' often implies being stuck with a losing position.
A prolonged period of declining prices, typically 20% or more from recent highs, with widespread pessimism.
A batch of transactions bundled together and permanently recorded on the blockchain.
A distributed, immutable digital ledger that records transactions across a network of computers.
A protocol that connects two different blockchains, allowing assets and data to move between them.
A sustained period of rising prices with optimism and increasing investment activity.
Permanently removing tokens from circulation by sending them to an unrecoverable address, reducing total supply.
Central Bank Digital Currency — a digital form of fiat money issued and regulated by a country's central bank.
Centralized Exchange — a crypto trading platform operated by a company that holds users' funds (like Coinbase, Binance).
A cryptocurrency wallet that stores private keys offline, not connected to the internet, for maximum security.
The mechanism by which blockchain nodes agree on the valid state of the ledger (e.g., Proof of Work, Proof of Stake).
Decentralized Autonomous Organization — an entity governed by smart contracts and token holder votes, not traditional management.
Decentralized Application — an application that runs on a blockchain or peer-to-peer network rather than centralized servers.
Decentralized Finance — financial services (lending, trading, insurance) built on blockchain without traditional intermediaries.
Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks — blockchain protocols that incentivize building real-world infrastructure.
Decentralized Exchange — a peer-to-peer marketplace where trades execute via smart contracts without an intermediary.
...and 73 more terms. View all terms with interactive search and filtering.